1. Field
Example embodiments relate in general to tools for use by public safety and military personnel, and more specifically, to such tools that may be used to breach doors and/or remove drywall and plaster from walls and ceilings.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Numerous and varied tools for breaching doors and/or removing drywall and plaster are well known. The tools are typically designed to meet the specific needs of public safety and military personnel inside a building or at the scene of an emergency.
One shortcoming with such tools is that a single tool may fall short of providing personnel with the comprehensive equipment capabilities they need. For example, personnel will often realize that they need a different tool after arriving at the scene of an emergency. The personnel will then either have to leave the scene to retrieve additional tools, or have another person bring additional tools to the scene.
Conventionally, some tools may be gathered together into a multi-purpose tool set. One such tool set is known as “the irons.” The set of irons includes an axe, a prying tool known as a Halligan bar, and a lock removal device known as a K-tool. These tools are bound together using either a belt, strap, or band of rubber. The tools may be used separately or in combination depending on the task. For example, an end of the Halligan bar can be forced between a door and a doorjamb to pry the two apart. The Halligan bar can also be driven between the door and the doorjamb by striking it with the flat-head axe. The K-tool can be used in conjunction with the Halligan bar and the flat-head axe to remove a cylinder lock. Here, a notch in the K-tool is slipped over the lock cylinder, then forced down by striking it with the flat-head axe. The Halligan bar is then inserted into a flange of the K-tool and used to pry the K-tool off the door, thereby pulling the entire key cylinder out.
Although tool sets are generally thought to be acceptable, they are not without shortcomings. For example, it can be difficult to separate the tools from the set with gloved hands and/or with poor visibility (e.g., dark environments, smoky environments, etc.). Once separated, the individual tools and/or the strap may be lost at the scene. Some tasks may require the concerted efforts of more than one person, each person handling a different tool. Finally, before the set can be moved to a different location, the tools need to be strapped back together again. These shortcomings, among others, may cause personnel to lose valuable time at the scene of an emergency.